Package handling machine



0 =lA 6, 1959 H. H. oFFu-TT Ei- AL 2,907,447

' PACKAGE HANDLING MACHINE Filed July 9, 1956 Anim F16. l.v

H. H. OFFUTT JAMES SBRADDCK I A INVENTORS FIG.v 3.

A TTOHNE Y PACKAGE HANDLING MACHINE Harold H. Otutt and James S. Braddock, Odessa, Tex., assgnors to Sid Richardson Carbon Company, Fort Worth, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application July 9, 19'56, Serial No. 596,686

3 Claims. (Cl. 198-165) This invention relates to machinery for moving packages, filled bags and other objects, and has reference to hydraulically driven spaced belts for that purpose.

An object of the invention is to combine a hydraulic motor which delivers constant torque with a pair of endless belts arranged to grip and move a package or other object positioned therebetween and whereby the package or object moves at a constant and preferably maximum speed if the same does not meet an irnpeding or obstructing resistance. i

A particular object of the invention is to provide, in a package handling machine of the described class, a construction and arrangement whereby the speed ofthe driven belt will automatically conform with the speed of a movable resistance, and yet exert the same thrust against the package being moved. i

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a hydraulically driven belt package handling machine, a construction and arrangement whereby if the package being moved meets an obstructing resistance, the belts will stop, yet exert the same thrust on the object.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in addition to the foregoing, a package handling machine including hydraulically driven space belts for gripping objects to be moved, a construction and arrangement whereby the belt will automatically start when the obstructing resistance is removed.

A further object is to provide a package handling machine of the type described in which the actuating endless belts are power driven to force the bag being moved against the preceding bag to restrain its front end, and yet in which the power driving means is adapted to deliver a constant force against the preceding bag.

These and other objects will be apparent from an examination of the following specification and drawing of an exemplary form of the invention in which:

Figure 1 represents a side elevational view of the package handling machine of this invention partially cut away for clarity of illustration.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged cross sectional view of converging endless belt structure shown in Figure l and in which the near side frame and components have` been removed to show the preferred relation of the belts.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front end elevational View of the machine of Figure l showing a bag in the process of being compressed.

`Figure 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the power drive mechanism of the machine of Figure l.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, it will be observed in Figure l that the package handlingmachine indicated generally at 2 consists basically of an input conveyor rack 3 andan output conveyor rack 4 leading respectively to and from a converging endless belt assembly 5 which is power operated from a power supply unit 7 remote from the main body of the machine.

The input conveyor rack 3 is'of conventional construction and may include a series of rollers (not shown) to i arent O o power the progress of bags 8, or the rack may be inclined as shown in Figure l to permit the bags to move toward the belt assembly 5 by gravity. The output conveyor 4 is also of conventional construction and it may be power driven to move thenow compressed bags 9 into a bag compressor 10 or the like. Preferably, the output rack 4 moves slower than the normal speed of the belt assembly 5 whereby a package in the latter is constantly forced against a package in said output rack.

The endless belt assembly 5 includes a pair of spaced upper rollers 11 and 12 and a pair of spaced lower rollers 13 and 14 each journalled in a frame 15 which is located between and includes a longitudinal opening 16 in alignment with racks 3 and 4. Frame 15 includes a pair of pillow blocks 17 for each main roller 11--14 and in cludes bearing plates 18 having a series of bearings 19 to rotatably support the small auxiliary or idler rollers 20. As will be seen in Figure 2 the auxiliary rollers 20 are inclined from the entrance rollers 12 and 14 and rollers 20 are in firm engagement with `the endless belts 21 and 22vwhich travel between rollers 11-12 and 13 14, respectively. However, 'while the described converging belts are preferred for handling bags of pulverulent material, it will be obvious that the belts may be parallel. When handling boxes or othersolid objects the parallel arrangement of belts would be preferred.

Power drive unit 6 is located in the main or the top deck 30 of frame 15 and includes a hydraulic motor 31 including arV-belt pulley 32 which is in operative alignment with pulley 33 and drives the latter through V-belt 34.- Pulley 33 is fastened to input shaft 35 of gear reducer unit 36 from which output shaft 37 extends laterally in both directions. At its outboard side shaft 37 is keyed to a sprocket 38 which is connected in driving relation to a larger sprocket 39 by means of link chain 40. Sprocket 39 is keyed to shaft 41 which is rigid with upper exit roller 11 whereby rotation of motor 31 will correspondingly cause rotation of roller 11 in a clockwise direction (Figure 2). Output shaft 37 also Vextends from the inboard side of reducer 36, and on this side it is keyed to reversing gear 42 which drives gear 43 in the opposite clockwise direction. Gear 43 being keyed thereto will rotate drive shaft 44 and consequently sprocket 45l which through chain 46 will rotate sprocket 47 which is keyed to shaft 48 rigid with lower exit roller `13 in a counterclockwise direction (Figure 2) Frame 15 includes a series of angles 50 welded thereto which are threaded to receive bolts 51 for holding brackets 52 of vertical guide rails 53 in their adjusted position. Brackets 52 include a horizontal slot 43 to permit Vertical rails 53 to be moved into the proper distance to accommodate the incoming bag 8. The entrance ends of vertical rails 53 are curved, as at 55, to avoid damaging bags `S and also to guide bags S into the opening 16 of frame 15 for passage therethrough.

Hydraulic motor 31 is connected by tubing lines `56 and 57 from its input port 58-and return port 59 functionally to output port 60 and suction port 61 of hydraulic pump 62, respectively. Pump 62 is directly driven by an electric motor 63 which together With pump 62 and associated parts is mounted on the top side of hydraulic supply tank 64. The actual physical and operational connection between the pump, tank and motors can be seen in Figure l to be as follows: t

The drive shaft 65 of motor 63 is connected in lin to shaft 66 of pump 62 through a tiexible coupling 67. Pump 62 is connected by way of tubing line 68 to hydraulic supply tank 64, andin operation fluid is drawn from tank 64 through line 68 to the suction port 61 of pump 62 and the now pressurized iluid is expelled through the output port 60 into andv4` through a relief valve 69 into and through line 56 to the input port 58 Patented ocr. s, 1959 t performing its function in motor 31, the expelled fluid y passes from pump return port 59 into and through tubing line 57 back to supply tank 64 to complete its cycle. Relief valve 69 is interposed in supply line 56 to regulate the pressure delivered to hydraulic motor 31 andthereby limit the maximum pressure available to move belts 21 and 22 to drive bags 8 against preceding bags'9. The presence of relief valve 69 will thus prevent the paper bags from being damaged by excessive jamming against each other. Relief valve 69 includes an adjusting knob 70 so that the setting of the valve may be made so that the pressure reading or gauge 71 will correspond to the desired driving force on the bags. A by-pass line 72 connects valve 69 with tank 64 to return surplus pressurized uid to the supply tank. As bags of loose powdered materials, such as carbon black, bentonite, clay, etc., are fed on conveyor rack 3 they are in a plump and non-uniform condition as indicated at 8. As they pass through the uniformly moving constant pressure drive endless belts- 21 and 22 which converge toward their exit end, the bags 8 are ilattened and compacted to an exact and uniform size by this edging action and emerge for delivery on conveyor rack 4.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced a device which substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forthv herein. The invention is not limited to the exemplary construction herein shown and described, but may be made in many Ways within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A package handling machine comprising: a frame,v an endless belt assembly including upper and lower belts on said frame, a feeder adjacent saidframe and in alignment with said belt assembly for feeding packages into said belt assembly, power drive means on said frame to power said belt assembly and force said packages therethrough, said power means including a hydraulic motor in driving relation to said beltassembly, a power operated hydraulic pump for suppling uid to said hydraulic motor, a relief valve between said pump and said motor to control the driving force exerted on said packages, and means adjacent the end of said belt assembly opposite said feeder retarding the movement of packages in said belt assembly.

2. A package handling machine as defined in claim l, and wherein the distance between belts at input end of said belt assembly is greater than the distance between belts at the discharge end thereof.

3. A bag handling machine comprising a frame, an endless belt assembly including substantially parallel upper and lower belts on said frame, said belt assembly including input and output ends, an input feeder adjacent said frame and in alignment with said belt assembly for feeding bags of b ulk materials Vinto-said inputend speed than said input feeder, and means providing a retarding resistance adjacent the end of said belt conveyor opposite said input feeder.

References Cited in the le of this patent v v UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,674,853

2,682,216 shields 11111529, 1954' Bom Apr. 13, 19544 

